Reasoning vs “because I say so”Although in that specific case, another reason is that if she attempted to carry the chemistry set through security, she would either lose it forever or have to send it through the mail, and there's a good possibility that she (and any adult she was with) would be detained for a long time. Why? Because that's a rule held by a powerful authority that doesn't negotiate.

Mar16

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How do I tell my parents I'm no longer Christian?@DA01 It sometimes helps, when analyzing other people's motives, to try to look at things from their point of view. To a person who truly believes in the reality of hell, supporting a child who is determined to go there might be a terrible disservice to the child, literally the worst possible thing that could be done for them.

How to handle a 11y/o son who act like a girl?@RexKerr We know that there are genetic factors that influence whether someone is homosexual or not. We do not know if any parental behavior whatsoever has any predictable effect on whether someone is homosexual or not. We do know that parents do not control every aspect of a child's environment, and therefore the exact same parental behavior, given the immense complexity of environmental factors, is going to have different effects, so no, nothing that a parent does or does not do causes their child to be gay, and certainly nothing they do after the age of 11 will change them.

Aug25

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How to handle a 11y/o son who act like a girl?@RexKerr I'm saying that as far as a parent is concerned, homosexuality is a genetic trait, because while we do know that environmental factors influence how genes are expressed, we have no idea what those factors might be in this case or to what degree they might have an effect. So from the point of view of the person asking this question, if their son is gay, their son was born gay and nothing that they did do or didn't do "caused" him to be gay and nothing that they do or don't do now will change that.

Aug25

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How to handle a 11y/o son who act like a girl?@RexKerr The data cannot rule out the possibility of some environmental factors. That isn't the same as showing that there are major environmental factors. Any stronger claim is based on a total misunderstanding of both the data and genetics. Given that we absolutely don't know what environmental factors might be in play or to what degree they have any effect, I'm comfortable saying that homosexuality is a genetic trait.

Aug25

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How to handle a 11y/o son who act like a girl?@RexKerr It may be a simplification, but it's largely accurate. The data does not show that there are major environmental factors, and it certainly doesn't show that anything in particular that parents do causes a child to be gay, and it absolutely does not indicate that an 11 year old's sexual orientation can be changed by parental intervention. So in this context, I'm comfortable making the statement that homosexuality is something you are born with.

How do you encourage a toddler that you suspect may be gifted?In my answer to the linked question, I pointed out that a) the defining factor in future success is practice, and b) being "gifted" as a child is not a predictor of future results. The answer for your toddler is exactly the same as it is for any toddler: help him find activities that are challenging and fun, encourage him to try hard, and allow plenty of time for play.

How do I talk to my child about homelessness and mental illness?Have you asked him what he thinks about the situation? Why does he think the panhandler is homeless? Why does he think the panhandler doesn't have any food? Is he worried for them? Does he want to help them? Sometimes the best way to talk to a kid is to help them talk to you.

How to avoid corporal punishment? At five and two, they really should be going to bed pretty close together anyway, so I would agree that video games and tv are a little to exciting for that time of day.